TNT day

Before I get into my recent workouts, a comment: it looks like maybe summer is really here! And it's supposed to get HOT this week. I'm actually looking forward to this, weirdly enough. I guess my weather rant had an effect ;).

Friday: easy 1 hr; did Liberty Park 2x around (plus to and from my house) in 57:14. That was pretty fast for "easy"! I think I'm getting better :).

Today: First TNT (Team in Training) workout. The team was meeting at 7 am at SugarHouse Park to do 3 miles. Well, I had to do 2 hr easy today for my training for Spokane, so I left my house at 6 am and did 1 hour before the team meeting. Then I did 3 miles with the team (sort of... see below) and then I walked back home. Total: 10.5 miles (16.9k) in 1:53:05 for 10:46/mile (6:42/km).

As for the team - well, I kind of wanted to go out w/the runners, but Diane, the walking coach, wanted me to stay with the walkers (all of whom are new to walking/racewalking) to show them a few things. I was OK with this, as long as I got to do the 3 miles at my speed :). So we did a few drills and warmed up and stretched a little, then we set off. I did the 3 miles alone, because by this time I was waaaaaay behind the runners (who had set out while we taught the walkers some things) and of course I was faster than the new walkers. It was a bit of a bummer, because you can't use headphones in TNT workouts, and I really wanted for someone to talk with. Next time, I'm going to just go with the runners. I do want to help the walkers, but I joined TNT to work out WITH others and that's what I'd like to do!

Weather rant

Where the heck is summer? After a long, cold winter I'd like to see some warm temps. I had my swamp cooler fixed but have not even had to turn it on yet. In fact, it's been downright chilly lately. Yesterday I went to a bbq and nearly froze sitting outside on the porch with a fleece jacket on. Saturday there was snow in Park City (OK, it's at 7000 feet vs our 4300 feet, but still!). This morning it was only 41 (5C) for my workout so I wore tights, long sleeves, and gloves.

SUMMER, YOU CAN SHOW UP ANYTIME NOW!

Pound Cake

This, and other delicious foods like it, are a problem for me. I would like to take off at least 5 lbs in the next 2 months. This is a reasonable goal, but I thwart myself at every turn. Last night, Lois' pound cake, of which I consumed FAR TOO MUCH, seemed more important to me than that 5 lbs. This morning when I woke up full of regret, it didn't seem so important anymore. It's hard to stay focused, but I am writing this in the hopes that it will help me to stay motivated. I didn't find it impossibly hard to lose 105 lbs, but this seems monumentally difficult for some reason.

On the bright side, despite the fact that I awoke feeling miserable, depressed, and angry at myself, I went for my walk. I had a hard workout planned (60 min acceleration), and I decided that was in the can. But I started my walk, and though I still didn't feel like doing the workout, I decided to do it anyway. Some part of me will not give up on things, I guess. So, after 10 mins at a heart rate (HR) of 140, I bumped it up to 150 for 10 minutes. Then 155 for 10 minutes. Finally, I did 160 for 30 minutes and then cooled down and stretched. I'm proud that I finished it against the odds. Now if only I could do that with my eating.

Workout total: 6.08 miles (9.78k) in 1:01:28. 10:06 min/mile - not bad!

Monday & Tuesday workouts

Monday - drove to weight training (got up a little late) but warmed up by racewalking for 6-7 minutes, lifted weights, and racewalked in between sets. Good workout, if a little short. My triceps got sore last night after this, and still are touchy today.

Today - decided to use one of Sarah's workouts. Because I don't have a coach, I have to make up my own workouts, and so I like to look at what other people are doing so I can try new things sometimes to keep things fresh. Sarah has a coach and is about the same speed as me (someday we'll race and that will be fun because it will be a close contest!), so her workouts are perfect for me to use. My goal was 4x400 in 2:06 and 4x1000 in 5:40, with 2 min rest. My times were: 2:05, 2:07, 2:07, 2:07 for the 400s and 5:41, 5:43, 5:46, 5:44 for the 1000s. Not bad! I was pretty tired on the 1Ks, but managed to hold it together to make my last one faster than the 3rd one. Also of note this morning - I met Paul Sagers at the track today, after reading about his weight loss in our local paper. It was really neat to meet another "big loser" and chat a little bit. He still has 40 lb to go, he says, but it looks like he's motivated and will get there just fine. Finally, the track was a bit of an obstacle course today, as the school is preparing for graduation ceremonies. On one end there was a large piece of wood across the track, about 3-4 running strides long. I had to cross it each time I went around, so I broke form and ran over it because it didn't seem to be terribly racewalking-friendly. It did make my workout more interesting, though.

The weekend

Awesome.

Friday night I went up to Park City with some girlfriends from church, and we stayed in a condo up there for the weekend. The husbands took the kids, and we did WHATEVER WE WANTED for the duration. It was truly relaxing!!! Watched a movie, played a game, read a book, hung out and talked, took a walk, did some window shopping (OK, so I did spend $2.69 on a microfiber cleaning cloth - last of the big spenders!), watched the Belmont Stakes, went in the hot tub, ate a LOT, and got some racewalking in.

Saturday morning I did 6.7 miles easy in 1:13. It was drizzling slightly and pretty cold (mid-30s), and as I ascended the hills, it started snowing a little bit, but I was warm in my long sleeves, gloves, hat, and tight, so no problem. Sunday morning it was clear and colder, and I did 5.3 miles easy in 56 minutes. The views were beautiful and I didn't take any photos, but trust me, they were great. It was super not having to worry about the kids bugging Loren while I was out walking :).

Threshold workout

I still hate these. Probably always will, but I do feel very virtuous when I finish them!!!

I warmed up by walking over to Liberty Park, which takes about 12.5 minutes when I'm fresh and going downhill (it's a slight downhill all the way there). Then I did 4 x 2k (approx 2k, pretty close anyway) with about 3 min easy walking in between. My times were 11:20 (umm, too fast!), 11:37, 11:37 and 11:36 (yeah! finished strong!). I wasn't too concerned w/the times, but wanted to keep my heart rate at 85% max, which is about 162 for me. I did keep it there, and it was probably 165 on the last 2k. I was really pleased with the times, though, as they were pretty fast 2ks (for me, anyway!). Then I did a cool down, walking home in about 16 min (uphill, and taking it very easy to cool down). Total workout time was 1:25ish and I did 8.05 miles (my calculation from the car) or 8.18 miles (iPod, which is probably not quite right).

My average heart rate, including the easy walking and the warm-up and cool-down, was 150! Yowza! That was a tough workout.

Aggravating

In January, (the 25th, to be precise) we took my son in to get his forehead sutured when he fell at school and needed stitches. We got a statement from Blue Cross telling us how much they paid for the services, but then never got a bill from Intermountain Health Care (IHC), the company that runs the urgent care. I actually did not notice this, because we get lots of medical bills for various things, and it never occurred to me that they had failed to bill me.

Fast forward to today. I got a call from IHC, complaining that I had an outstanding balance of $197. I told them I had never received a bill, and they replied that they had sent me a bill and two letters regarding the balance. I asked them to what address they sent the bills, and it turns out they sent the bills to our old address, where we have not lived for SIX YEARS. Um, hello!???? I asked Loren if they had asked him for his updated info when he took Calvin in, and he can't remember. So, either they got the new info and didn't enter it into the system, or they didn't even bother to take it down. ARRRGH! Fortunately, I was able to simply give the woman my credit card number and pay the bill, and they had not sent it to collections yet, so it won't be a problem. Whew. But it's VERY aggravating, all the same.

Racewalking to save lives

I have signed up to do the Nike Women's Marathon with Team in Training! I'm very excited about this race, because I will be doing it in honor of my dad, who has chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and my son's friend Diego, who has acute lymphocytic leukemia. I thought about doing the Portland Marathon, because they have a racewalking division, but I decided I would rather help raise money for research and patient services for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I can still racewalk in this one, and though I won't get an award for my time like I might in Portland, the rewards for this race are much better for my dad, Diego, and other blood cancer patients.

The race is October 19, 2008, and after my races in Spokane in early August, I'll be ramping up the mileage for the marathon. San Francisco, here I come!!!

Here's my fundraising page, if you would care to donate. Every penny helps in this fight. Please feel free to forward the URL to anyone you know who might want to help.

June rush

June came in with a rush! It's been SO busy. Work was just relentless Mon & Tues - taking lots of pictures on the scope all day each day, with no time for anything else. Wednesday was crazy, too, at home. Grocery store, Costco, vacuuming, 3 piano students. Today and Friday look to be lots more relaxing.

Still have managed to get some workouts in.

Sunday I did 60 min easy recovery. I felt a little sore in my lower back after the race, but it was just achy muscles. My calves were a little tired too, probably from pushing up the hill for the first half.

Monday I biked to weight training and did a hard workout for my upper body. My chest got super sore on Tuesday from this! Still hurt a bit Wednesday too. I did bench press, cable chest press, and push-ups on the Bosu.

Tuesday I did a speed workout at the track. Aside from my warm-up and cool-down, I did 12 laps with fast straights (sprinting; about 25 sec each) and slow curves. I also threw in some drills on a couple of the laps to work on technique. Then I co-taught the racewalking class.

Wednesday I biked to weight training and did a legs workout. It was a toughie and my quads are a bit tired today.

This morning I walked to the track from my house (about 1.5 miles the way I went) and did several fast laps before teaching the racewalking class. I need to do a hard track workout, but it was raining pretty hard this morning and I was not in the mood, so I just did the easy workout and will do the hard one tomorrow. The weather is supposed to be lots better tomorrow :).

Bridal Veil Falls 10K

A bunch of us carpooled to the start in Orem, Utah (about 45 min from my house in Salt Lake). The weather was WINDY but pretty warm (61 degrees). However, before the sun got very high, it was pretty cold due to the wind. We got there pretty early (7:30 am for a 9:00 start) so we stayed in our cars until 8:30 am and enjoyed some good conversation). We got our bibs and warmed up from 8:30-9, and then sauntered to the start line, getting a few photos on the way.

The start was pretty congested, as the race is on a narrow paved trail, but after the initial congestion, it was pretty smooth sailing. I felt like I knew my desired pace pretty well.

The first 3 miles were uphill along a beautiful stream, and I just paced myself by my breathing: hard, but comfortable. The last 3.2 were downhill, which was good, because by then I was getting tired. I'd say that I started feeling tired about mile 4, and by 45 minutes I was uncomfortable. By 55 minutes I was very tired, but was able to keep pace pretty darn well to the finish.

Here are my splits:

Mile 1 10:02
Mile 2 10:03
Mile 3 9:58
Mile 4 9:23
Mile 5 9:11
Mile 6 9:19
Last 0.2 1:39
Total time 59:35

This is only 10 seconds off my PB from last summer in the Deseret News 10K, which is an all-downhill course. I feel like this is a new PB, in a way, since this course was half uphill. I'm VERY pleased with my time! I'm also pleased with my splits; I did slow a bit in mile 6, but not much. I think I need to work a little more on endurance and I'll be fine for the 10Ks I have planned later this summer.

All in all, a great test race and I'm feeling splendid about my performance.

A special note about some of my teammates: Boyd, age 79, finished in about 1:12 - amazing for a guy his age. I am pretty sure he beat me, age graded. Diane, age 69, was racing with 2 broken ribs from the Ogden Half Marathon 2 weeks ago, and she still finished in about 1:18 (? not sure of the time, but this is within a few minutes). Normally she'd finish in about 1:13 or so. She is one gutsy lady!

Here are a bunch more race photos.

Pre-race Friday

Biked to weight training and did some easy lifting; taught a few people some racewalking basics because the total body fitness class had to share our room today, and they wanted to learn some racewalking. I took them outside for a few laps around the Huntsman Center (basketball arena). It was fun!

I'm really getting psyched for tomorrow's race. I have no idea how well I'll do, since it's a hilly course and that will mean slower times. However, it's really a practice race for later this summer. I need to see how I'm doing in terms of my endurance, speed, etc., so I can tailor my workouts to where I feel weak. I want to peak in early August for the USATF Masters' National Championship races.

Anyway, tomorrow will be fun, and there are 7 Wasatch Walkers doing the race! That alone makes it all the more exciting. I'll have to take pictures of everyone at the finish, so I'll bring my camera phone.

Easy 5K

I did an easy 5K at 5:30 am this morning, so I could finish before the racewalking class at 6:15 am. I did a large loop from East High along Guardsman Way and then up to the Huntsman Center at the U, returning via Foothill and Sunnyside. It was gorgeous this morning; about 52 degrees (11C), clear, and beautiful. The clouds were a wonderful shade of pink and it was relaxing and enjoyable. I did the 5K in 32:36.

The racewalking class went great; we did some drills, including some short hill work, and then did a short threshold workout to give the class an idea of what a harder workout is like. They all did really well!

Recipe: Chicken Mole Poblano

This recipe was incredible! It's pretty spicy; so if you want it cooler use less chili powder and less of the chipotle chile. I got it from the Salt Lake Tribune; DeAnn Hilterbrand submitted it for a recipe contest.

Chicken Mole Poblano

1 cup salsa (I used fresh salsa, medium hot)
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter (I used PB2, to save calories)
1/4 cup raisins
1 small chipotle chile in adobo sauce (from 7 oz can), seeded (I did not seed it for a little extra heat)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 T semisweet chocolate chips
1 T chili powder or ground ancho chile pepper (I used chile powder)
1/2 t pumpkin pie spice
1/4 t ground coriander
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
flour tortillas for burritos
avocado (optional, for garnish)
1/2 c crumbled queso fresco cheese or fresh mozzarella
1/2 c reduced fat sour cream

In a blender or food processor, place salsa, peanut butter, raisins, chipotle chile, broth, garlic, chocolate chips, ground chile pepper, pumpkin pie spice, and coriander. Cover; blend until smooth.

In a 12 inch frying pan, place chicken breasts. Add salsa mixture. Heat to boiling over medium heat, turning chicken occasionally to coat with sauce. Reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is 160 degrees. Remove chicken from pan to cutting board; cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices. Return to pan and stir to coat w/sauce.

Heat tortillas as directed on package. To serve, place each tortilla on serving plate; spoon 1/4 of chicken and sauce mixture onto each tortilla. Top w/avocado, cheese, and sour cream. Fold tortillas in half over filling. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

WW points - 5 points for sauce and chicken only, per serving. Add points for tortillas (depends on what kind you buy), cheese, sour cream, and avocado. I personally eschewed the avocado and used the teeniest amount of cheese and some reduced fat sour cream. The tortillas I chose were 2 points each.

workouts

Tuesday: 30 min easy, and 3 x 400m @ 10K pace. I did the 400s a bit fast, which probably defeated the purpose. I did them in 2:16, 2:16, and 2:13. After that, I taught the racewalking clinic, so I got in a lot more walking (not sure how much, but a decent amount, chasing people around the track and helping them w/their technique).

Wednesday: biked to weight training and lifted for 50 minutes; total body workout including abs.

It's nice having an easier week of workouts after the last few weeks when I've pushed really hard. It's good to give my body a break!

Malaria awareness

My friend Sarah posted about malaria about a month ago. According to UNICEF, over 1 million people die each year from malaria; most are children in Africa.

Only $10 can save a life - it will buy a mosquito net for a child. Compassion International distributes mosquito nets and educates people on how to use them.

After reading Sarah's post and an article in Compassion's magazine, I decided I had to donate at least a little bit to help out. I'm writing this so you might consider it too. Money is tight, but $10 to save a life doesn't seem a like a lot.

Wimpy

Yup, I wimped out. I was thinking of maybe doing a harder track workout this morning, but then it was pouring rain when I woke up. So I did 4 miles easy, instead. With the race on Saturday I wanted to take it easy this week anyway, but still, it was lame of me to wimp out.

Still, 4 miles in the rain isn't THAT wimpy, and I did it in about 42 minutes, which is pretty good for an easy day.

Tomorrow morning Diane and I are teaching another session of the racewalking clinic, so I've got to get up pretty early. I'm going to do an easy workout with a few fast 400s (at 10K pace, to prep for the race) before class starts at 6:15 am.

Better today

I felt better today, so I did an easy 4.5 miler with a few fast pickups; total time 49:11 for a 10:53 mile overall, according to my iPod. The dogs didn't like the pickups, and I was practically dragging them. I guess they like my easy pace better :). I am taking it easy this week because I am doing a 10k race on Saturday, and I want to be fresh & ready to go. Plus I've trained very hard for several weeks, so it's time to have an easier week and let my body recover a bit.

Then I have got to start planning my hard training for Spokane in August! I need to clamp down on the diet, too. I did very well yesterday but not so much today at the church picnic. I need to be more careful if I want to get a few lbs off before August.

Kids are napping after enjoying running circles around us in Liberty Park. Beautiful day today - warm (65) and partly cloudy. A little cool when the breeze kicked up, but all in all a perfect day to be outside. We biked to church today and to the picnic and back home, kids in tow in the bike trailer. It's a no driving day at our house! Maybe we can do this every Sunday and be a little more green.

I'm going to rest and read the paper now while I have the chance!

End of the week workouts

Friday: Biked to weight training and did a hard total body workout. Did lots of pushups. My chest is a bit sore today.

Saturday: Woke at 5 am sick to my stomach. I thought I was going to throw up, but the nausea passed. Needless to say, I didn't go work out. I might go for an easy walk later. I feel much better now (1 pm) and was able to eat a small lunch. Actually, I feel surprisingly normal.

With Sir Topham Hatt

 
Michelle LOVED Sir Topham Hatt and would not leave - we had to drag her away so the next kids could get there photo! Poor thing cried a lot, but it was really cute.
LOTS MORE PICTURES HERE if you are interested.

Day Out With Thomas

 
We thoroughly enjoyed our Day Out With Thomas. It was a huge hit, and because I won the tickets ($18 each; 4 tix = $72!) from Utah Mama, it was FREE!